Hogwarts: From Selling White Peppers to Becoming a God

Chapter 307 It's Getting Cold

This guy can see my Animagus Multiple Incarnations?

What is the principle behind this?

However, in this context, the religiously charged term "demon" seems to be used not solely because of his Animagus origins...

Could it be related to mental coordinates?

The coordinates Maria set for herself might make her look like a demon in the eyes of Orthodox Christians.

Murphy had Sophia summon several more Orthodox wizards who claimed to have witnessed the apparition of the Virgin Mary. As expected, the Murphy they saw was in the form of a demon.

Murphy also used Legilimency to examine their memories and found that the images of themselves and his Animagus were roughly the same, but with many more special effects, such as flames burning on and around them, billowing black smoke emanating from their bodies, and green lightning crackling around them.

Well, I have to say, he's quite handsome.

Murphy decided that the next time he transforms, he will use this look.

"Mrs. Jaga, what do you think?" Murphy decided to ask for an expert's opinion.

“I’m not religious, and I don’t really believe in the existence of this God,” Mrs. Jaga said. “It’s more like the work of a wizard, or a powerful spirit.”

"spirit?"

“Like the spirits of our ancestors,” said Mrs. Jaga, “all things have a spirit, and some spirits are exceptionally powerful, sometimes even appearing like a god.”

"However, spirits are usually pure and natural. If Mary is a spirit, she seems to be a man-made, self-aware spirit."

Murphy thought for a moment, "In the church's stories, Mary is the Mother of God. She was once a living person, then gave birth to the Holy Son, and finally died and ascended to heaven. If this really is Mary, then maybe she's a ghost?"

"Ghosts are the shadows of wizards who linger in this world, unable to leave, while true spirits exist in the afterlife, in what is known as the spirit world or the astral realm," said Mrs. Jaga. "Perhaps someone summoned it, but there are also instances where spirits have come to this world on their own."

"If it really is a spirit, how do we get rid of it?" Murphy asked.

“Spirits are difficult to destroy, just as ghosts cannot die again. We can only expel them by addressing the medium through which they remain in this world,” said Mrs. Jaga.

"For example, I created a body of earth and stone for the spirit to inhabit. Normally, if this body is destroyed, the spirit will be driven out."

Murphy frowned. "But the medium through which this Mary resides might just be these paintings... Am I supposed to destroy all the statues of the Virgin Mary in the world?"

That's simply impossible.

……

More than ten days later, in the suburbs of Moscow, Soviet Union.

In a grove of trees, Valery is taking a walk with Murphy.

"The situation is very bad lately," Valery said with a worried look. "The church is going crazy, inciting people to hold marches and demonstrations to protest the laboratory project, and there are also many dissenting voices within the government."

"They even brought up past incidents for discussion, describing those officials who died suddenly as having been assassinated by the KGB."

Murphy walked briskly, stepping over the fallen leaves. "What are you planning to do?"

"The KGB told me that if we wanted to appease the public, we could postpone the construction of the laboratory or move it out of Moscow to another location," Valery tentatively suggested.

"Moscow has the necessary facilities and personnel for a laboratory. This isn't an atomic energy project, so it's not suitable to put it in a remote, sparsely populated area," Murphy said.

He was clearly unhappy that the lab project was delayed.

"Valerian, what do you think is the most pressing problem for the Soviet Union right now?"

Valery thought for a moment. Although he was impersonating someone else, he had been in the highest position for a long time and had many opinions on national development. He said, "The Soviet Union has passed through its most difficult period, but the danger has not gone away. The factors that could have led to the Soviet Union's downfall are still there. We are facing a complex international situation, rampant corruption within the party, and problems with the domestic industrial structure, etc..."

Murphy nodded. "Yes, these are all important. But they're not that crucial. Right now, the most pressing problem facing the Soviet Union is actually how to feed its people."

"We have spent too much money on imported food, and given our current international situation, it is tantamount to handing the noose that could strangle us to our enemies."

"We must solve the food problem," Murphy said. "And several agricultural labs in the national laboratories were created for this purpose."

"You know about the existence of magic, and you should also understand its enormous role in boosting productivity. In the future, magical technology will be the primary productive force, and whoever can become the leader in magical research will be able to lead the next era."

Murphy looked at Valery, "The national laboratory is the cornerstone of this country's future survival and development. Its importance should be elevated to a fundamental national policy, and nothing should shake its position. Do you understand?"

Valery's forehead was beaded with sweat. Although he knew that Murphy's purpose was not merely to benefit the people of the Soviet Union, he also knew that Murphy was right.

In terms of traditional scientific and technological research and development, the Soviet Union does not have any advantage over Europe and the United States, but magic is still a vast blue ocean, an emerging field where one can expand rapidly.

Its enormous boost to productivity has already been fully demonstrated in Murphy's Umbrella Corporation.

"Yes, I understand. The national laboratory program not only cannot be delayed, but must be pushed forward as soon as possible with all our might."

Murphy nodded. "So, what are you planning to do?"

Valery thought for a moment and said, "Let's cut to the chase. We can't let ourselves be held back on this. Let the KGB investigate the ringleaders, the church, or the officials who are trying to interfere with the project, as well as the ambitious individuals who are instigating the situation. Arrest some, imprison others, expose their disgusting deeds, and eliminate these enemies."

"Then, through investigations, inquiries, and other means, we will deter those who are wavering. At the same time, we will increase publicity to make ordinary people aware of the enormous role of the national laboratory, so that they understand the project and realize that it will bring them a happy life, thus regaining control of public opinion."

After nearly half a year of training, Valery may still be unfamiliar with grasping the strategic direction of the entire country, but he has become quite adept at how to wage war.

However, Murphy said, "That's not enough."

"Have you forgotten where this all started?"

Valery thought for a moment, "Yes, and the Papacy too."

He frowned; the Vatican was in trouble.

The majority of the people in the Soviet Union are Orthodox Christians. Although materialism is the official ideology, its influence is now far less than that of the secular papacy.

"Valery," Murphy said calmly, walking ahead, "the high ground of thought, if we don't occupy it, the enemy will."

"The Soviet Union is a red country, a people's country, not a country of gods, not a holy country, and certainly not a country of any religion!"

"It's outrageous that Soviet officials would criticize national policy over religious issues! Our comrades believe in God instead of ideology! How lamentable, pitiful, and laughable!"

"How did these people infiltrate our ranks? Or how did they end up like this?"

Valery frowned deeply. As a steadfast warrior, he also abhorred this. He looked at the guide ahead, "What should I do?"

Murphy did not turn around.

"It's getting cold. Let those demons and monsters go back to where they belong."

"Those who believe in the Kingdom of Heaven go to the Kingdom of Heaven, those who believe in Hell go to Hell, and those who believe in the afterlife are sent to the next life."

(End of this chapter)